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Le Clou, Washington, DC

Le Clou

4.3
4.3
164 Reviews
$50 and over
French
Top Tags:
Located on the first floor of The Morrow Hotel. Le Clou is a modern French brasserie by Michelin-star chef Nicholas Stefanelli. Le Clou is rooted in classic flavors with modern sensibility. A wrap-around marble bar, striking chandeliers, and gilded finishes give Le Clou an iconic French aesthetic but also the modern vibrant character of its neighborhood of NoMa.

Find us in the vibrant NoMa neighborhood, near Capital Hill, Shaw, Mt. Vernon Triangle, and H Street corridor and just minutes away from Union Station.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 7 times today
Experiences are available.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    French, Contemporary French / American, Seafood
  • Hours of operation
    Breakfast Daily 7:00 am–11:00 am Brunch Sat, Sun 11:30 am–2:30 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–2:30 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:30 pm–9:30 pm Fri 5:30 pm–10:30 pm Sat 5:00 pm–10:30 pm
  • Phone number
    (202) 742-9777
  • Website
    https://www.lecloudc.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive chef
    Nicholas Stefanelli
  • Private party facilities
    Le Clou's private dining room offers a fully private intimate experience for parties of 6 to 12 guests. Located in the back of our dining room with a large round table, perfect for your next gathering.
  • Location
    222 M St NE suite 101, Washington, DC 20002
  • Neighborhood
    NoMa
  • Cross street
    New York Avenue NE and Florida Avenue NE
  • Parking details
    Valet
  • Public transit
    Walking distance from the NoMa-Gallaudet U metro station on the red line. Street, garage, and valet parking are available.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wine

Experiences

  • Billecart Salmon Champagne Dinner

    $295.00 per person

    Prepaid

    Multiple dates available
    Join us for a night of Billecart Salmon Champagne!! Chef Nicholas Stefanelli will be offering a 4 course tasting menu. Each course will be paired with a different champagne from Billecart Salmon.
    Billecart Salmon Champagne Dinner Photo

Offers

  • REVERSE HAPPY HOUR AT LE CLOU

    Multiple dates available
    Mon - Thu - 9:30 PM - 10:30 PM,Fri - 10:00 PM - 11:00 PM
    Come join us at Le Clou Restaurant by Chef Nicholas Stefanelli at The Morrow Hotel from 9:30pm - 10:30pm Monday - Friday for our Reverse Happy Hour. Specials are available on food, cocktails, and wine!

What 164 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.3
4.3 based on recent ratings
  • 4.4Food
  • 4.2Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.1Value

Noise • Moderate

164 Reviews

  1. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    5 reviews

    vip
    1.0

    5 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    overall1food1service2ambience1
    We came with high hopes as Chef Nick’s restaurants are some of our favorite however this was a big disappointment for us. Only 3 tables on a Saturday night at 8:30 pm and I can now see why. The manager served our wine then left for the evening before our starters came. The bread was over doughy, way too much yeast and so chewy you could barely bite into it.Half of the lights are not even on in the restaurant, the bar is an after thought with no patrons and also no lights. The server although, nice but was not trained well, as I asked for recommendations and she only suggested the two dishes which had pork after I specifically reminded her that it was our dietary restriction, then she said oh I am not sure then, seriously? With only 3 tables are food took a long time to come.My main dish the trout had soggy skin, and came to table luke warm at best, I left more than half on my plate the server wasn’t even aware enough to ask if I enjoyed my dish or would I like to order something else. We didn’t even bother looking at the dessert menu after that needless to say. Completely a waste of track to NoMa from Bethesda and unfortunately a total disappointment for us after amazing food and service received consistently at Masseria and Officina. Not the date night we had hoped for!

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  2. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    10 reviews

    3.0

    10 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    overall3food4service2ambience3
    The dishes were hit and miss. The beef bourguignon was great. My son had their hamburger and it tasted only of char. My other dinner guests had mixed reactions as well. One notable miss was the bread. The bread was quite bad. It was chewy and tough

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  3. Monica

    Detroit

    4 reviews

    3.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 19, 2023

    overall3food3service2ambience5
    We were visiting from Michigan. We chose Le Clou based on the posted menu having some of our favorite French entrees and appetizers. When we arrived and looked at the menu, they were not on it. According to our very novice waiter, they changed the menu a week prior. He was very apologetic. We came for seafood which did not appear on the menu at all. We were hesitant to choose this place based on the mixed reviews. Optimistically we decided the menu choices were worth the risk. Wrong. Neither the restaurant’s website nor the Open Table site had the updated menu. Very nice ambience, the food we did order was good. Just not what we wanted this evening. Open Table has always been a reliable resource. Disappointing.

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  4. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 19, 2023

    overall4food1service4ambience5
    Idanis our server was ok, but the food was a no no for me compared to the first time we came. I wouldn’t consider it a luxury restaurant based on the quality of service we received today. There were literally 3 guests at the hotel, so not busy at all. And our food took about an hour to arrive just for it to taste blah. I blame the cooks… they need somebody a little more seasoned. And from the look of things we weren’t the only table that issues with their food, the other 2 tables did too. I hope this is a one time thing because the restaurant looks amazing and the food from what I remember tasted really good as well.

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  5. Suzy

    Washington DC

    2 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 19, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Fantastic menus all around, with great service & ambiance. We enjoyed both the weekend brunch & dinner menus!

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  6. hnsfood

    New York Area

    21 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    21 reviews

    Dined on November 18, 2023

    overall2food4service1ambience2
    The food was great but the service was an absolute disaster! My husband and I almost left when we were ordering and I asked for a side of fries (which come with some of their dishes) and the server told me they probably couldn't do that because they don't do sides. A French restaurant that won't give you a side of fries? Ultimately, they did and I think it was her interpretation not that they won't do it but this example goes to my main point which is all of the staff seemed completely untrained or inexperienced at working in a higher end restaurant. After our very delicious apps - the dishes from which a server tried to clear before we were finished out last bite - we waited about 20 mins and a manager came over and apologized for the delay and said out mains would be right out but in reality, they did not come for another 40 mins (an hour total) and no one wanted to make eye contact with us during that time. Oh and my husband ordered the tuna niscoise so not even a hot dish. Also, the server tried to remove the plates again before we were done. And the restaurant was never more than half full - on a Saturday night at prime time. Some other things - the menu online is totally different (not just in dishes but how the courses are set up) so you may want to ask for the actual before you go if you care. There are about 6 "signature" cocktails and I asked one of the managers what one of the ingredients was in one of them - he didn't know and while he went to check, I googled it and he came back and told me it was something entirely different than what it actually was. They sent me the totally wrong way to the bathroom - wouldn't have normally cared but at that point was frustrated. And when we asked for the check, they said they were already making our "anniversary" dessert which again took another 10 minutes for cold, mediocre cheesecake. Again, the rest of the food was fantastic but I see why it wasn't full and hasn't gotten as much press as other new places

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  7. ESKim

    Washington DC

    40 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    40 reviews

    Dined on November 18, 2023

    overall4food5service3ambience4
    We had a great dining experience, with the exception of our server (she wore glasses and was very aloof). For a restaurant of this quality and caliber, one would expect their server to match it. Now, the manager was warm and attentive.

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  8. MartinH

    Washington DC

    6 reviews

    3.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on November 18, 2023

    overall3food4service2ambience4
    Meal would have been OK were it not for the 1 hour 30 minute wait between appetizers and main course, After our app. plates were removed we sat waiting for our mains, and later about an hour our waitress came by and apologized for the delay. 15 min. later floor supervisor came by and apologized and said our food would be out in 10 min. About 15 minutes later we finally got our food! After what happened we expected some sort of composition. We thought a refill on our wine or comping the dessert might be in order. All we got was our bill and no further mention of the experience. We won't be back!

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  9. moonspinr

    Baltimore

    15 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    15 reviews

    Dined on November 18, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Dined on the first night of their new menu. I had reserved especially because of the escargot dish, as escargot is my friend’s favorite and it was his birthday. Although escargot is no longer on the menu, the new chef made it for him anyway! After a complimentary amuse bouche, we enjoyed the escargot, mussels, sweetbreads, and trout. Everything was delicious! Service was attentive (but not TOO), and the ambiance is chic. Photos we saw ahead of time don’t do the space justice, as it looks like a run-of-the-mill hotel restaurant, but in fact it was beautiful and felt expensive. We would definitely return!

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  10. OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    3 reviews

    3.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 17, 2023

    overall3food3service4ambience4
    Leek starter not great. Mouses frites were good but cheese plate was shockingly terrible. And so were desserts. Expensive wine list and cocktails were fine. Service was decent. Would not go back.

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  11. Hoeflerbt

    Orlando

    11 reviews

    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on November 17, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Fantastic boutique dining with a mildly funky French flair. Service is attentive and personable. Food is fantastic! Gotta have the pommel frites!

    1 person found this helpful

  12. RichardH

    Detroit

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 11, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience5
    A very enjoyable bistro meal. Everything was nicely prepared. The menu was pretty straightforward for this type of restaurant.

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  13. Cura

    New York Area

    14 reviews

    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on November 5, 2023

    overall5food4service4ambience5
    The bread service was excellent. I had the foie Gras which was good but could have been hotter. The sauce with it was perfect, not too sweet. The trout almondine also had a nice buttery sauce, but again I would have preferred it hot. The pot chocolate had a great crust over the whole bowl. It seemed like it had just been taken out of the fridge. My friend liked everything: the pate terrine, steak frites and the bread pudding, but thought the menu could have offered more.

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  14. KathyL

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 3, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We had a lovely dinner at Le Clou. All the food was absolutely wonderful. And the staff was the appropriate level of attentiveness. Fabulous restaurant.

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  15. ZorinaP

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 1, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    The bartender was personable, well versed in menu and we had a nice evening. Will absolutely return.

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  16. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 28, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I would come here over Le Dip pretty much any day of the week. The food is much better. The ambience, while different, is still very good. All the staff were very nice and professional, although compared to Le Dip they probably were overall less knowledgeable of the offerings. Overall an exceptional modern French place.

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  17. Sunny

    Washington DC

    11 reviews

    3.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on October 28, 2023

    overall3food3service5ambience5
    Pomme Frites smell and taste like McDonalds! Value is solid for dinner and friday night's Pomme Frite Steak Nite Special at $38 that comes with a salad is an unbeatable deal. Downside - champagne pate was horrible pairing the sweet brioche bread with the sweet jam and pate that was tasteless. The steak tartare was incredibly well done, really enjoyed that dish but really does need a quail egg for some added texture and fat. "Bar" was a nice piece of fish, tons of flavor. Shout out to Juan for taking care of us, a little nervous seemed like his first job but he did a great job being attentive.

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  18. AnneL

    Washington DC

    7 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on October 27, 2023

    overall5food5service4ambience5
    Our first time at Le Clou and it did not disappoint. Please order the leeks and the pâte de campagne. The duck confit was fabulous. Steak frites special was excellent. The team that served us was charming. We also sat right next to the kitchen and saw the show unfold before our eyes. We will be back!!

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  19. JohnP

    Washington DC

    11 reviews

    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on October 27, 2023

    overall5food2service4ambience5
    Great atmosphere and service but the food was not in the French style. I had an omelette and it was made in the American way. And all of the food needed salt. The champagne selection was wonderful.

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  20. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    3 reviews

    vip
    1.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on October 21, 2023

    overall1food1service1ambience1
    My partner and I had a less than amazing experience here. The atmosphere was aesthetically pleasing but the service & food left much to be desired. I’ve been a fan of Nicholas Stefanelli for some time, a frequent patroon of many of his culinary endeavors & when he partnered to open Le Clou at the Morrow, I was excited and intrigued. The steak tartare was uncomfortably spicy, not typical of traditional French cuisine and the puff pastry of the escargot and onion tart was stale. Despite this, the duck was lovely. Service wise, we had to wait extended periods of time to see our sever to refill/re order wine (when we arrived we were the only table) and when we ordered desert and asked for specials, we’re told there were none. We ordered a pistachio dish and again, the puff pastry was stale and hard as a rock. The heterosexual couple next to us were offered dessert specials but we were not offered the same. We asked for a sommelier, and they never showed up to our table, but again, the heterosexual couple next to us received full wine service and support. In addition to all of this, we were asked multiple times if we were ready to check out and leave despite the fact there was still food on our plates and wine in our glasses. This is not a place that offers safe & inclusive dining for couples.

    1 person found this helpful

  21. Fozbert

    Washington DC

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 14, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience4
    The onion tart 1st course was delicious and so was the duck second course. The sommelier was really nice and helpful. We selected a wine that turned out to be much too sweet, so he replaced it with something we liked so much better that we drank two bottles. The wait staff was friendly, but they need some training. They shouldn’t interrupt when customers are clearly deep in conversation. Also they are too anxious to take away dishes. They removed the butter while two of us still had bread on our plates. Don’t let yourself be seated in front of the kitchen because it’s hard to converse over the chef calling out orders to the cooks. The restaurant was only half, so the overall sound level was fine. If the restaurant had been full, it would have been difficult to carry on a conversation.

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  22. RobertM

    London

    3 reviews

    3.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on October 14, 2023

    overall3food2service3ambience3
    What a boring menu! Would have been bla in 1960, laughable today. You need to entirely rethink your concept. Am certain you are getting no repeat customers. Good luck you got a lot of work to do to fix this.

    2 people found this helpful

  23. OpenTable Diner

    Raleigh

    2 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 14, 2023

    overall2food3service2ambience3
    The food was good — but we showed up for a brunch reservation only for the manager to tell us they wouldn’t be serving brunch. The hours had changed and the kitchen was closing. No communication was sent through OpenTable to let us know otherwise. Thankfully, they let us eat breakfast - but the menu was significantly reduced and the service was rushed and not to caliber for this type of restaurant. Definitely willing to give it another try, but was disappointed by today’s experience.

    1 person found this helpful

  24. NasirJ

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 13, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The food was great, service was great. Restaurant was beautiful. All for a nice price too.

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  25. Danna

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 8, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Nice restaurant!!!!! I went on a date and the service was excellent. Everyone is very kind and the experience was awesome. Finally the food was delicious ! thanks !!!!

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  26. niceevening

    Washington DC

    14 reviews

    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on September 27, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience3
    Service was outstanding. Food was really good. Atmosphere is a bit cold for a French focus. Very modern fancy.

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  27. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego

    3 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on September 26, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Le Clou made our birthday celebration so special! Excellent service, food, and wine.

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  28. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    4 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on September 23, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Little over priced but good. I don’t have anything else to say

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  29. osvaldos

    Phoenix

    5 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on September 20, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The service was outstanding. The waitress walked through the menu and provided excellent advise about my champagne.

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  30. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 17, 2023

    overall2food2service4ambience2
    Staff was kind and attentive but food was way overpriced for quality.

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  31. OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    1 review

    vip
    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 16, 2023

    overall1food2service2ambience5
    We have been here before and unfortunately the standards have gone down: 1. They did not have the sweetbreads. This has always been our highlight of the menu. 2. The duck confit was ok and it seems like they changed the dish compared to our last visits. The mushrooms were cold 3. The Le Clou omelette is not worth the money. Very basic. 4. The affogato coffee was served cold. Overal a very disappointing experience

    1 person found this helpful

  32. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 12, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The bartender was amazing- very friendly, full of energy, comforting and very accommodating. The burger was incredible and the fries were literally perfect. This is my second time coming here within a month and I'll be back next week. One of the best burgers DC has to offer at the most affordable price.

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  33. LoriR

    Washington DC

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 11, 2023

    overall2food2service1ambience4
    Beautiful restaurant with mediocre food. The service was horrible which was surprising considering the recent comments about poor service. Food took forever. Tables took forever to be bussed. Mussels served without a wet towel. If something doesn’t change quickly, you’ll be out of business.

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  34. Bart11

    Minneapolis

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on September 6, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The food was wonderful. Try the trout. Our waitress had perfect timing during the entire meal

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  35. overpriced

    Washington DC

    44 reviews

    3.0

    44 reviews

    Dined on September 3, 2023

    overall3food4service3ambience1
    Food and final bill took forever. Also what is an Admin fee? Outrageous!

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  36. wwwIdeal4Lesscom

    Washington DC

    28 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    28 reviews

    Dined on September 3, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We didn't even know this hotel or its restaurant were there until we saw it listed on DC's Summer Restaurant Week. Victoria waited on us and was absolutely fantastic. She was attentive to needs and concerns and went the extra mile to make our visit extra special. We had the Trout Almandine after the caesar salad and finished with a trio of sorbets. Every morsel of food was spectacular. We were very excited to see the trout on the menu because it seems to be getting harder to find and we are lovers of that fish. It was cooked to perfection and served with haricots verts (green beans). We also enjoyed warm rolls with salted butter and a mocktail, which was also a wonderful treat for the pallette. All in all, we very much enjoyed our visit, had efficient service and will return!

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  37. Agjag

    Washington DC

    15 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    15 reviews

    Dined on September 2, 2023

    overall4food5service3ambience5
    Very nice restaurant week menu, food was delicious. Server seemed loopy and kept bringing us the wrong orders. No acknowledgement of our anniversary despite it being in reservation notes and my calling the restaurant ahead of time.

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  38. Grace

    Washington DC

    6 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on September 2, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Both the service and the food at this restaurant is high quality. Good!

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  39. AngyR

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 2, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Was here for Restaurant Week Brunch and both food and service were beyond my expectations. Staff was beyond attentive, and each course was thoughtfully planned out.

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  40. grandhustle

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on September 2, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Le Clou made us live a real experience. It was a reservation for 7 peoples and they took care of us the best way possible. They were accomodating to the fullest and made sure everything was okay. All recommendation were on point and the food was delicious. Strongly recommend this restaurant

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FAQs

Le Clou is rated 4.3 stars by 164 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 7 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Le Clou

222 M St NE suite 101, Washington, DC 20002

Additional information

  • Cross street
    New York Avenue NE and Florida Avenue NE
  • Neighborhood
    NoMa
  • Hours of operation
    Breakfast Daily 7:00 am–11:00 am Brunch Sat, Sun 11:30 am–2:30 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–2:30 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:30 pm–9:30 pm Fri 5:30 pm–10:30 pm Sat 5:00 pm–10:30 pm
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    French, Contemporary French / American, Seafood
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Valet
  • Public transit
    Walking distance from the NoMa-Gallaudet U metro station on the red line. Street, garage, and valet parking are available.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Nicholas Stefanelli
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wine
  • Website
    https://www.lecloudc.com/
  • Phone number
    (202) 742-9777
  • Private party facilities
    Le Clou's private dining room offers a fully private intimate experience for parties of 6 to 12 guests. Located in the back of our dining room with a large round table, perfect for your next gathering.
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